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| The later Njoku |
The family of late Comrade Christian Njoku, a human rights activist has alleged that the deceased was killed by a police patrol team because of his activism in Warri, Delta State.
Christian was alleged to have been
murdered in Ekpan area of Delta State by some policemen attached to Ekpan Police
Station. It was further alleged that the activist was killed and then alleged
to be robbery suspect by the police
Many people may have forgotten the
murder of Christian, sweeping aside as fate, but his family is crying foul,
demanding for justice.
According to the family, they are
demanding that the homicide police team should carry out an unbiased
investigation to ascertain the true circumstances surrounding the murder of
their brother, who they claimed was killed in cold blood.
The deceased’s brother, Uche Njoku,
determined to get justice, petitioned the Delta State Commissioner of Police.
Uche alleged that his brother was
murdered by a police patrol team led by Sergeant Wilson Mensah due to some
previous grievances the deceased had with them in the past, in the course of
carrying out his legitimate assignment as a human right activist.
The family, in the petition, said
that the police had several times, warned the activist to keep off their path
or else he would be crushed to death.
They also alleged that some cash,
which was a four-day sale from Christian’s father’s shop, which was supposed to
be paid into customers’ accounts, was in the possession of Christian on the
night he was killed.
The Committee for Defense of Human
Right (CDHR), Delta State chapter Chairman, Comrade Kehinde Taiga, vowed that
the committee would follow the case to its logical conclusion.
Taiga said: “CDHR has carried out
its own investigation by going to the area. They found out that there was no robbery
incident there. No armed robber would go robbing with his personal car. The
police killed Christian deliberately, only to tag him an armed robber, so as to
cover up the heinous crime the police committed. The police had often
threatened to kill me and other members of CDHR several times, especially
whenever we get them at a quiet place. Christian’s father is a well-known shoe
dealer here in Warri. Christian was an active member of CDHR. How can Christian
go for a robbery while in possession of his international passport? How can the
police claim that Christian was an armed robber that went to rob with a
one-door, Toyota Solara car? The police claimed that others fled, but that
Christian couldn’t run.”
Taiga further said: “We all know how
it is to alight from a one door car from the back seat. So, the supposed gang
members at the back of the car, were now faster than Christian who was at the
front of the car? Our activities at CDHR, particularly, ‘The bail is free’
campaign has continued to pitch its members of CDHR against the police. Police
at Ovwian also shot one of our members two weeks ago. Three days ago, police
also threatened to kill our women leader.”
The Delta State Police Public
Relations Officer (PPRO), a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Aniamaka, when
contacted on the alleged murder of Christian, explained that the facts before
the police showed that the deceased was an armed robbery suspect.
He, however, stated that due to the
recent development, a proper investigation would be carried out to ascertain
the true position of things.
It will be recalled that on June 18,
35-year-old Christian, an indigene of Ebonyi State, was said to have left his
fiancée at home (less than a kilometer from where he was shot) and dashed out
to buy something when he was shot to death.
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